Continuous web perforating machine



Oct. 25, 1960 J. A. EINHIPLE 2,957,369

CONTINUOUS WEB PERFORATING MACHINE 4 Sh Original Filed April 12, 1955 eets sheet 1 INVENTOR.

John A. Einhiple ATTORNEY Oct. 25, 1960' J. A. EINHIPLE 2,957,369

CONTINUOUS WEB PERFORATING MACHINE Original Filed April 12, 1955 4 She ts-sheet 2 Fig. lb

INVENTOR.

John A. Einhiple Wm/1M ATTORNEY Oct. 25, 1960 J. A. EINHIPLE 2,957,369

comnuous was PERFORATING MACHINE Original Filed April 12, 1955 4 shem'sheet 3 Fig.2

INVENTOR.

John A. Einhiple ATTORN EY Oct. 25, 1960 J. A. EINHIPLE 2,957,369

CONTINUOUS WEB PSRFORATING MACHINE Originl Filed April ;2, 1955 4 Ill,

III)

INVENTOR.

John A. Einhiple ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,957,369 CONTINUOUS WEB PERFORATING MAGHINE John A. Einhiple, Kenmore, N. Y., assignor to National Gypsum Company, Bulfalo;-N*.Y:, acorporation of Delaware a a Original application Apr. 12',- 1 95 5, Ser. No; 500,571, now Patent No. 2,855,998, dated Oct. 14, 1958'. Divided and this" application Jl'il'y" 14, 1958," Set-BNO;

This invention relates to punching perforations in a continuously advancing web and is'particularly directed to the perforating of gypsum board inthe manufacture of perforated gypsum lath.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 500,751, filed April 1 2, 1955, now US. Patent 2,855,998, issued October 14, 1958.

Flat, rectangular boards comprising a set gypsum core and reinforcing paper cover sheets, having a plurality of holes extending therethrough spaced evenly apart throughout the extent of the board, are a well known form of lath, for application to building framework as a base material for subsequent application ofthe plaster wall surface. The perforated form of board is well known as providing improved means for keying the surface plaster to the lath.

The perforations are generallymade in the gypsum board while the board is still being advanced, as a continuous web, from the boa-rd forming machine along a conveyor system on which the gypsum core becomes partially set. The perforating operation is performed near theendof this conveyor, immediately prior to the cutting of the web into individual boards for subsequent transfer to a drying kiln. The uncut board, at the time of perforating, has set sufficiently and attained enough body to retain itself about a perforation without flowing, but is still considerably wet and weak, presenting difiiculty in producing the desired quality in the punched hole. The need of a punch, or punch and die combination, capable of improving the quality of perforations is recognized.

The present most common method of forming .these perforations is by a machine wherein a plurality of upper bolsters, each including a plurality of punches, cooperate with a plurality of lower bolsters, each including a plurality of dies, the two sets of bolsters being mounted on oppositely rotating spiders, the relation of all bolster faces to the horizontal being.controlledbyassociated c'amsriding in a camway. The design of this prior machine recognizes the desirability of maintaining the punches and dies in a generally vertical disposition throughout an operative period of the cycle wherein the punches and dies are acting upon the moving web of board material, and it is for this general purpose that the cam and camway are incorporated into the prior design. The bolsters make a complete rotation in each cycle, incorporating a whiptype action during the nonoperative portion of the cycle,

necessitated by the vertically maintained condition during ice period of operation. The prior design, further, includes an excessive number of power transmitting elements between upper and lower spiders, each additional power transfer permitting additional sources of lost motion or misalignmentdue to inaccuracies or wear.

An object of the present invention is to provide, in a machine for perforating gypsum lath or like material, a new combination, particularly with the' punch and the elements as claimed in the above identified parent application, of an improved power transmission means for the maintenance, to a very substantial degree, of the necessary tolerances between punch and die.

These and other objects and advantages will appear more fully when considered in connection with the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1a is a front view of the left half of a rotary punching machine built in accordance with and embodying the invention.

Fig. 1b is a front view of the right half of the machine ofFig. 1a, parts having been broken away and parts shown in section as taken generally along line 1b1b of Fig. 2. i

Fig. 2 is a right end view of the machine of Fig. 1, cover plates having been broken away.

Fig. 3 is a front view, with cover plates broken away, to show the mechanism for raising and lowering the upper rotating elements of the machine of Figs. 1a and 1b.

General description Figs. 1a and -b and Fig. 2 show the front and right end views respectively of the lath perforating machine 20, through which a continuous web of partially set, paper covered, gypsum board 22 continuously passes. Although the machine 20 is capable of operating on board passing from front to rear or reversely, it will be apparent that when it is once installed for operation, usage will normally be in one direction only.

Machine 20 is supported by a frame-base 24 having fixed thereon a bed-plate 26 at each end thereof. Over each bed-plate 26 is an enclosed gear-box 28, made of a relatively light, removable, end cover-plate 30; fixed, heavier-gauge, upper-shaft supporting, front-plate 32 and rear-plate 34; and a lower-shaft supporting main-plate 36.

Machine 20 includes a lower-shaft 38, rotatably supported in opposed lower-hubs 40 which are fixedly mount ed in main-plates 36 at each end of machine 20. An upper-shaft 42 is rotatably supported in opposed upperhubs 44, which are the axially inner extent of hub supporting portions 45 of vertically-adjustably mounted upper-frames 46, which entire unit is slidably mounted for vertical movement of upper-shaft 42 and its associated elements. By way of explanation, the punching operation of machine 20 is started and stopped 'by the lowering and raising of the upper-shaft 42 and its associated elements, while the shafts 38 and 42, and their associated elements, are rotating synchronously and the board 22 is passing therebetween. The complete mechanism associated with this feature is discussed completely further below.

Fixed on the right end of lower-shaft 38, is a bevelgear 48. Upper-shaft 42 has a similarly disposed bevelgear 54, fixed at the right end thereof, With the exception of bevel gears 48 and 54 and the associated conical gears and shaft disposed at the machine right end and a power input source at the right end, all discussed fully further below, the right and left ends of machine 20 are inverse counterparts and, for this reason, disclosure will be directed, generally, to the right end, as shown in Fig. 1b.

Inwardly of each end of lower-shaft 38, the shaft 38 is further supported, rotatably, in diagonal-braces 50, fixed to the bed-plates 26 and front plates 32. Inwardly from diagonal-braces 50, spur-gears 52 are keyed to lowershaft 38.

Upper-frames 46 include axially outer cross members 55 which are disposed axially inwardly of each end of upper-shaft 42. Cross members 55 extend horizontally outward in each direction from shaft 42, as seen in Fig. 2, forming guide shaft bearing portions 57 which are slidably mounted on fixed vertically extending guide shafts 59. Cross members 55, by the fixed vertical relation with guide shafts 59, maintain upper frames 46 in true vertical positions.

Inward of cross-members 55 are spur-gears 56, disposed for meshing with spur-gears 52 when upper-shaft 42 is adjusted to its normal operating, lowest vertical position. The lower and upper hubs 40 and 44 are disposed axially inward of the spur-gears 52 and 56, all of which hubs are fixed against rotation relative to the machine frame.

Referring now to Fig. lb and Fig. 2, a power source (not shown), in any usual form, drives by means of a drive shaft 140, a gear 142 which is constantly in mesh with lower spur gear 52.

When the upper shaft 42 is adjusted to its normal operating, lowest vertical position, a direct drive from lower to upper shaft is maintained at each end of the machine through the cooperative spur gears 52 and 56. During a change from an operating to a nonoperating condition, which is accomplished by raising the upper shaft 42, a continuous condition of synchronism must be maintained between the shafts 38 and 42. This synchronism is provided by means of a vertical shaft 144 at the right end of machine 20, and is included in Fig. 1a for clear disclosure although it is disposed in front of the sectioning plane 1a--1a as will be seen in Fig. 2. Shaft 144 has a lower conical gear 146 fixed thereon to cooperate with lower bevel gear 48. Conical gear 146 is driven by bevel gear 48 and drives vertical shaft 144, on which is axially-slidably keyed an upper conical gear 148 for intermeshing with and driving upper bevel gear 54. Vertical shaft 144 is rotatably and slidably supported at its upper portion by a hollow cylindrical mounting 149 affixed to an upper outer face plate portion 151 of upper frame 46.

The raising and lowering of the upper shaft 42 is accomplished by means of a raising and lowering mechanisms, acting through each end of machine 20, the right end of which is shown generally in Fig. 3. The raising and lowering mechanism acts through and supports the upper shaft assembly by crank-arms 150, pivotally connected to upper-frames 46 as at hanger-shafts 152. Crank-arms 150 are pivotally connected at upper ends 154 to crank pins 156 extending axially outward from the radially outer portion of crank wheels 158. Rotation of crank Wheels 158, through a 180 arc in either direction, will be seen to raise the upper shaft assembly a distance twice the distance between the crank wheel axis and the crank pin axis. Crank arms 150 are further adapted for adjustment of length by turn buckles 160 provided at the central portion thereof. It will be seen that the preferred arrangement is such that when crank wheels 1 58 are so disposed that crank pins 156 are at the lowest position, turn buckles 160 are adjusted and locked to provide proper operating spacing between shafts 38 and 42. Power and control means for rotating crank wheels 158 are shown generally at 162, with shafts 164 extending from each side thereof to drive the pair of crank wheels 158.

As will be readily seen from Fig. 3, the raising and lowering mechanisms are contained and supported in an enclosed overhead housing 166, extending between and supported on the two gear boxes 28. A lubricant reservoir 168 with sight glasses 170 at each end thereof is also disposed in housing 166. An oil pump 172, seen in Fig. 2, is driven by drive shaft 140, through chain 173, the balance of the lubricating system not being shown.

Having completed a detailed disclosure of a preferred embodiment of my invention so that those skilled in the art may practice the same, I contemplate that variations may be made without departing from the essence of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described having a pair of spaced parallel work-producing shafts rotatably mounted therein and means for continuously rotating said shafts in synchronized relation while the spacing between said parallel shafts is being changed, said means comprising a bevel gear fixedly mounted on one respective end of each said shaft, a connecting shaft extending in a direction perpendicular to said pair of parallel shafts and disposed closely adjacent both said bevel gears, a pair of conical gears mounted on said connecting shaft for positive rotation therewith, each said conical gear being in meshing engagement with a respective bevel gear, one of said conical gears being slidably keyed on said connecting shaft for continuous meshing with its respective bevel gear during a change in spacing between said parallel work-producing shafts and means for moving as a unit said slidably keyed conical gear and the respective workproducing shaft and bevel gear relative to said connecting shaft and opposite work-producing shaft while all said elements remain interconnected and in synchronized rotation.

2. In a machine as defined in claim 1, a separate frame element mounted in said machine for reciprocal movement relative to said connecting shaft in a direction parallel to said connecting shaft, said frame element including a mounting portion through which said connecting shaft extends, said slidably keyed conical gear being rotatably mounted on said mounting portion of said framing element, and said work-producing shaft and said bevel gear which are engaged with said slidably keyed conical gear also being rotatably mounted on said separate frame element, whereby, with reciprocal movement of said separate frame element, said work-producing shafts are moved toward and apart, one relative to the other, while being rotated in a complete synchronism.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Rosenleaf (II), Forfeited application Ser. No. 459 filed Jan. 3, 1948, from which Rosenleaf (I) was divided. 

